Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

Category Archives: Press Releases

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) call upon all Federal Senators not to pass the legislation of the ‘Stronger Futures Northern Territory 2011 Bill’.

In their meeting today in North Sydney, Archbishop Philip Wilson and Sr Anne Derwin RSJ on behalf of the ACBC and CRA released the following statement:

“We join with the many Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians who have already urged the government to consult Aboriginal people and their Elders in planning actions and developing policies that will affect their lives for many years.”

Secretary to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications Monsignor Paul Tighe will lead an impressive line-up at the Australian Catholic Media Congress which will take place in Sydney from 30 April-2 May.

Former Young Australian of the Year and Filmmaker Khoa Do; and Social Commentator and Women’s Advocate Melinda Tankard Reist will also give keynote presentations during the Congress.

Also featured will be a keynote address at the Gala dinner on 1 May at the Amora Jamison hotel by Julie Flynn, CEO of FreeTV Australia.
Musical performances and accompaniment will be provided by Fr Rob Galea, whose hit song “God does not make rubbish” made number one on the Inspiration Top Ten in 2011.

The Congress entitled “Communicating the Word: Timeless Messages, New Media” will explore the impact of social media on the news landscape, and will offer professional development to Catholic, Christian and Secular media professionals.

The Media Congress will be held at the Menzies Hotel, Sydney from 1pm on 30 April and ending at Midday on 2 May.

Monsignor Paul Tighe will address the Congress on ways of harnessing the potential of social media to present an ethical message of hope and peace.

“Communication of the Gospel must be at heart of the ministry of a priest and I am pleased to be asked to work in the Council that has a mandate to harness the potential of the media – new and old – as a means of evangelisation”, Monsignor Paul said.

‘I am equally pleased to be speaking on this vital area in the mission of the Church at the ACMC in Sydney’.
Full time Registration for the Australian Catholic Media Congress is available for $725 for full time.

For media enquiries or to organise your registration for the Australian Catholic Media Congress, please contact Beth Doherty on 0407 081 256, (02) 62019859 or media@catholic.org.au or visit www.communicatingthewordACMC2012.com for a full program.

The Australian Catholic Media Council has announced that some of Australia’s most prominent Catholic and Secular journalists will participate in the Australian Catholic Media Congress 2012, a Congress which takes place once every three years at the Menzies Hotel in Sydney. Continue reading →

BISHOP Max Davis, Bishop of the Military Ordinariate, today checked in on the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen, who has been on a long walk through the halls of Parliament in a personal bid to help end global poverty.

As part of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion campaign, Minister Bowen has been participating in what is known as “Caritas Ks” by wearing a pedometer, which counts every single step he takes during this sitting week in Parliament. Continue reading →

St Benedict’s parish in Narrabundah in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn is one of 20 parishes identified by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference Pastoral Research Office (PRO) as having something a little bit “special” in its latest research project “Building Stronger Parishes”. Continue reading →

Canberra writer, commentator and women’s advocate Melinda Tankard Reist will be one of two Australian keynotes presenting at the Australian Catholic Media Congress 2012, a congress which will take place between 30 April and 2 May in Sydney.

Melinda Tankard Reist has developed a profile over the last 20 years through her work on issues affecting women and girls, and she will speak on building a grassroots movement using new media on day two of the Congress.

The Australian Catholic Media Congress is held just once every three years at the Menzies Hotel in Sydney and is a project of the Australian Catholic Media Council, through the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

The Congress carries the theme “Communicating the Word: Timeless Messages, New Media” and will focus on how social media can be used to proclaim timeless messages of faith.

Melinda will speak to the 150-strong crowd for an hour on 1 May, focussing on how she has used various types of new media such as Twitter, Facebook and blogging to spread a positive message and challenge advertising standards through movement ‘Collective shout.’ (http://collectiveshout.org/)

Melinda is best known for outspoken stands against the objectification of women, sexualisation of girls, pornography, prostitution, trafficking and violence against women, as well as being one of Australia’s first expressly ‘pro-life feminists’. She also blogs and tweets daily at Melindatankardreist.com

Other speakers at the Congress include international keynote and Vatican Official Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications; former young Australian of the Year Khoa Do and many others.
Early-Bird registration is $655 and will be available until 30-March, 2012.

All interested in attending the Australian Catholic Media Congress 2012 are encouraged to have a look at the website www.communicatingthewordACMC2012.com or contact Beth Doherty on 0407 081 256, 02 6201 9859 or media@catholic.org.au

The Catholic Women’s Fellowship will re-launch in 2012 with a new structure, allowing young women to complete a program of theology, spiritual formation, personal development and interfaith dialogue.

The Fellowship is the result of a partnership between the Bishops’ Office for the Participation of Women (OPW), The Broken Bay Institute (BBI), and the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. Continue reading →

Commenting at the release today of the much anticipated Gonski Report on Funding for Schooling, the Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC), Mrs Therese Temby, said that this was just the start of the process, and much work remains to be done.

“This is a major piece of work and a roadmap for a way forward,” Mrs Temby said.

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Welcome to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Media Blog

In Mark's Gospel, (Mark 16:15) we are instructed to "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News."
This forum is designed to give analysis and news on issues effecting the Catholic Church in Australia and the world.
The blog is an opportunity to reflect on stories in the media from a Christ-centered perspective, as well as present up to the moment information about the work of the agencies of the Bishops Conference.

Authors
The authors of our blogs are Australian Catholic Bishops; lay and religious who work for agencies of the Bishops Conference and Communications professionals from around the Church in Australia.

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The public are welcome to comment on blogs and items which appear on this page, however these comments will be monitored strictly for content. Comments should reflect a commitment to Christian charity and be carefully considered before being posted. Only comments which are considered appropriate by the General Secretariat of the ACBC will be published. Correspondence will not be entered into.